Dar demands urgent cotton reforms

October 23, 2025 (MLN): The push for urgent, structural reforms in Pakistan's cotton sector gained critical momentum, following a high-level meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Islamabad.

Recognizing the struggling state of the cotton industry, which is a core component of the national economy, the Cabinet Committee on Essential and Cash Crops (CCECC) directed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to ensure the effective and swift implementation of comprehensive measures to address the crisis.

The committee’s discussions focused heavily on tackling challenges such as persistently low productivity, a fragile supply chain, and inadequate research investment.

A key reform agreed upon is the greater representation of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and other private sector stakeholders within the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC).

This decision is designed to forge a stronger public-private partnership, thereby enhancing coordination in policymaking and supporting sustainable growth for the cotton crop.

The meeting concluded with a consensus on strategies to boost per-acre yield, streamline the logistics from farm to gin, and strengthen the PCCC’s research capabilities to ensure the long-term viability of the textile sector’s primary raw material.

The urgency of the government’s directive is underscored by the latest market data, which reveals significant shifts in the country's cotton production landscape.

According to the Pakistan Cotton Ginners' Association (PCGA) report, the cotton season is demonstrating a strong year-on-year recovery in arrivals, with the total volume of seed cotton (phutti) reaching ginning factories nationwide standing at 3.795 million bales as of October 15, 2025.

This figure represents a notable increase compared to the previous year, signaling a rebound despite earlier concerns over climate change impacts.

However, the geographical balance of production continues to see a structural change.

The latest arrivals data indicates that the traditional cotton belt of Punjab has seen its contribution drop, while Sindh has emerged as the leading provincial producer.

As of mid-October, Sindh contributed 2.136 million bales, claiming a dominant 56% share of the total national output, while Punjab accounted for 1.52 million bales.

This reversal of the historical 70-30 production balance between the two major provinces emphasizes the need for targeted interventions, quality seed availability, and sustained public-private coordination.

The directives issued by DPM Dar will now place the onus on the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to drive these proposed reforms forward in collaboration with all stakeholders.

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